Professor Andrew S. Field MB BS(Hons) FRCPA FIAC DipCytopath(RCPA)
This report briefly covers what has been achieved since May 2019 when I became President. At all times I have worked closely with Fernando Schmitt the General Secretary of the IAC, and with Bob Osamura immediate Past President and Allison Austin, Secretary to the IAC, as an effective executive team, and I thank them for their assistance and all their efforts in managing the IAC during a difficult period of the COVID epidemic.
I have tried to briefly summarize the three years since the AGM in Sydney, and Fernando?s presentation will expand on those items that have occurred since the 2021 AGM.
Formal Registration of IAC in Belgium
The IAC is registered in Belgium and new statutes were introduced to the AGM in 2021 by Dr Claire Bourgain who has taken on this role from Dr Louis Thienpont.
IAC working in collaboration with other pathology organizations
MOU with IARC to publish cytopathology reporting systems in May 2020
MOU with European Society of Pathology to coordinate and facilitate meetings and combined initiatives of IAC and ESP, in August 2020
MOU with ICCR to develop structured pathology reporting for lung small biopsies in early 2022
Publications and Standardized Reporting
- Establishment of working groups of cytopathologists to develop reporting systems in lung, lymph node and soft tissue in 2019
- Renewed contract with Karger renegotiated and signed for next 10 years in July 2020, including publication of Acta Cytologica and access to Karger web site for IAC members to educational programs.
- Acta Cytologica lost its impact factor in 2014, but regained it in May 2019 at 2.2 and it has risen in 2022 through the tireless work of Kari Syrjanen supported by the Karger team and the associate editors. Congratulations to the editorial team and all the submitting authors.
- IAC and IARC have worked together to develop and publish four new reporting systems in lung, pancreaticobiliary, lymph node and related organs, and soft tissue, mid 2020 to present, with four Expert Editorial Boards involving more than 50 cytopathologists meeting some 12 times, more than 200 authors contributing and more than 50 editors providing input. The Lung and Pancreaticobiliary books are in the last stages before publication on the IARC website and as hard copies. The Lymph Node and Soft Tissue books are undergoing pathology editing before entering the similar last stages, with publication in early 2023. Further reporting systems are planned.
- A joint committee of the IAC and ICCR has met and developed a lung small biopsy structured report with core and non-core elements which is in the last stages of completion. Further joint initiatives are planned.
International Congress of Cytology
- Successful ICC, Sydney May 2019, over 700 participants and a healthy profit.
- Organization of a combined IAC Congress and ASC Annual Meeting negotiated and agreed for 15 to 20 November 2022 in Baltimore, USA. Joint scientific program developed. Congress chaired jointly by Fernando Schmitt and Martha Pitman and registrations are well underway.
- Next ICC to be held in Florence in May 2025, and contract prepared.
- Review underway for future ICC
IAC Tutorials and Webinars
- COVID and its travel restrictions impacted on the IAC Tutorials. Thank you to the co-chairs of the IAC Education Committee, Ritu Nayar and Zubair Baloch who have worked hard to develop virtual meetings
- Virtual tutorials held in Mexico (December 2020), Korea (July 2021), Hong Kong (November 2021), Sydney (April 2022), and London (May 2022). Thanks to the co-chairs, organizers and all the speakers
- 14 IAC Webinars have been held since 2019, and thanks to Massimo Bongiovanni and all the presenters for their efforts
Strategic Meeting May 13 to 15, 2022
Organized by Fernando Schmitt, the responses to a survey resulted in excellent discussions about the current status, challenges and areas to be prioritized over next five years.
International Board of Cytopathology
Lead by Volker Schneider and then Syed Ali has continued to develop the examination material and to hold examinations during these three years. Thanks are due for their hard work.
Cytotechnology Advisory Committee
Shirley Greening has chaired this Committee for many years managing the CT(IAC) examinations and re-accreditation and is retiring at the 2022 AGM to be replaced by Donna Russel. Thank you for your commitment to the IAC since 1972 particularly over the last 3 years of the COVID epidemic.
Final Comments
I would like to thank the current Board for their counsel and support since May 2019. There have been major challenges due to COVID and the war in the Ukraine which have made this a difficult time, and there have been some issues that have been regarded as contentious by some.
But it has been a solid period of growth and development for the IAC particularly in relation to its international profile and publications.
I wish Fernando as the new president and the 2022 Board including its continuing and new members all the best as we focus on the development and initiatives of the IAC particularly those developed in Lisbon at the Strategic Planning Meeting.
Andrew Field
September 2022 Sydney